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KALAUPAPA, Molokai (The Maui News, April 30) - The homecoming for Kalaupapa artist Henry Nalaielua on Thursday was more than just a celebration for one of the settlement's most respected kupuna.

It represented a whole new direction for the aging community at a time when they need it the most.

"I think this has become a symbol for the people here that they know their comfort and safety will be taken care of," said Rep. Sol Kaho'ohalahala, as he stood outside the Kalaupapa Care Home room that held two new dialysis machines - the lifeline for Nalaielua and the reason he could return home after more than a year at Leahi Hospital on Oahu.

When state health officials said the small population of Kalaupapa coupled with the expense of on-site dialysis made it nearly impossible to bring back the vital service, it appeared that the end of the community was near. The 35 or so residents of Kalaupapa are...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (RNZI, May 2) - New measures have been introduced to tighten Samoa’s borders and fend off unwanted migrants.

The new laws came into force at the weekend and create a new permanent resident permit.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele says the new permit will allow the government to more tightly control the number and sort of people who want to live in Samoa permanently.

A spokesman for the Samoan prime minister, Auseuga Poloma Komiti, says criteria for migrants have yet to be established:

"Cabinet has yet to decide, but it would be based on the needs, as we see it, of our Samoa. And if for example we said that ten was the number, the quota for this year, then the top ten applicants would be the ones that were approved."

Mr Komiti says Samoa currently needs IT personnel, but the government’s priorities may change.

He says the policy will help the visitor to Samoa, and ensure that what he calls the undesirables are kept out...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, May 3) – Papua New Guinea’s Rural Development Bank has no money to pay its staff.

It needs up to K1 million (US$309,000) to pay staff wages alone and other operational costs.

The bank has approached the Independent Public Business Corporation to borrow the money but the IPBC has rejected the appeal.

RDB managing director Andrew Nagari said the bank did not want to borrow the money but the Government had ordered the IPBC to give it the loan.

Sources said yesterday the IPBC was reluctant to hand over the money as certain politicians would not hand control of the RDB to the Independent Public Business Corporation and wanted the bank to operate on its own.

Mr Nagari said early this year that the bank needed up to K10 million (US$3 million) to fully implement the National Government’s policy on an export-led economic recovery program.

HAGATNA, Guam (Marianas Variety, April 30) - U.S. Pacific Fleet Adm. Walter Doran has told Hawaii business leaders that Pearl Harbor is the most logical place in the Pacific to base an aircraft carrier and its accompanying air wing, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported yesterday.

Doran reportedly told the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii business that Pearl Harbor has the edge over Guam because of the high cost of developing facilities on Guam.

Hawaii and Guam are both competing for the homeporting of a new carrier strike group which the U.S. plans to deploy to increase its presence in the increasingly volatile Asia-Pacific region.

However, Doran was also quoted as saying that there are still a lot of issues in Hawaii that need to be resolved, including jet noise pollution at Kalaeloa, a site being considered for the air wing.

Jon Yoshishige, Doran’s spokesman, said the Navy and Pacific Fleet are always examining where forces are...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, May 24) – Environmental activists have lashed out at the British Government for failing to crack down on the purchase of "illegally and unsustainably" logged timbers from Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.

Campaigners from PNG and Indonesia, in London for International Biodiversity Day on Saturday, delivered letters to the UK environment secretary Margaret Beckett ahead of the event, which highlighted the destruction caused by logging in Indonesia.

They said at least two million hectares of forest are lost annually in PNG, home to the third-largest rainforest on the planet.

A statement released by the Friends of the Earth and posted on their website on Saturday said the letters also highlighted the devastating impact of logging operations on local communities.

The international environmental group said the UK Government is a major buyer of timber and timber products and its contracts account for 15 percent...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (RNZI, May 2) - Nauru is reported to have agreed to a property deal that will save it from bankruptcy.

Under an agreement arranged in Sydney, Australia, an Asian property group will take over some of Nauru’s investment property in Australia.

In return, the Indian-based Hiranandani or HCW group says it will wipe out more than US$230 million of debt.

The deal comes a week after the Australian government signed a treaty with Nauru to help it out of a financial crisis after the American company, General Electrical Capital Corporation, moved to recover its debts.

Raj Hiranandani of HCW said he plans to enhance the value of the property portfolio and turn a profit.

HCW stepping in means the properties will not have to be sold to pay the nation’s debts.

SUVA, Fiji (FijiSUN, April 30) - A 35-year-old Fijian who robbed a tourist of her camera was sentenced to three years imprisonment yesterday.

Ratu Epeli Tukana of Navua, yesterday asked for a monetary fine but was told he did not deserve a fine because, Suva magistrate Viliame Nadakuitavuki said, he had "brought the image of this country to shame".

The complainant, Justine Roque of Germany, was walking along a beach at Pacific Harbor with her partner on April 26 this year, when the accused approached and threatened them with a cane knife.

He then grabbed the couple’s camera worth $250 and ran away.

Present in court was Ms Roque, who clearly recalled the incident and said, "I was so afraid and I saw the last moments of my life flash before me."

In mitigation, Tukana said he was the sole breadwinner in his family and that he was sorry for what he did.

PAPEETE, Tahiti (Tahitipresse, May 1) - Oscar Temaru, leader of Tahiti’s independence political party - Tavini Huiraatira - called on supporters Saturday to organize two peaceful demonstration marches on May 15 to cut off Papeete.

"Everything will be blocked in Tahiti," Temaru announced during a press conference. "We’ve planned two processions: One will start from Mahina (north of Papeete), and the other will start from Faa’a (south of Papeete). The departure time is set for 7 am."

Both marches, directly related to the electoral campaign for the May 23 French Polynesia Assembly elections, are planned to meet at Place Tarahoi in the center of downtown Papeete in front of the statute honoring the late Tahitian politician Pouvanaa a Oopa.

Although Temaru’s party, Tavini Huiraatira, has yet to officially request permission to hold such demonstrations, Temaru said, "We plan to file a request for all that on Monday. Our objective is to do like the French in France...

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.